Book or book cover supporting device



Nov. 13, 1934.

BOOK OR BOOK COVER 5 L. M. WEBBER UPPORTING DEVICE FiledJun 18, 1932 /4 [/v v/v r012 Leona rd M h ebbe 7;

6r 2% Arr-.02 EK Patented Nov. 13, 1934 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE BOOK OR BOOK COVER SUPPORTING DEVICE 11 Claims.

My invention relates to a book or book cover supporting device, and more particularly to a device adapted for attachment to a vertical supporting surface such as a wall or the side of a desk.

It is desirable in the use of telephone directories and the like to have the reference book supported so that it may be moved into a closed position occupying small space and an extended position in which it is easily accessible for referonce.

It is a corresponding object of my invention to provide a device for supporting one or more books in this manner.

It is a further object of my invention to provide a device of the character described which is adapted for supporting one or more books in closed position adjacent the surface to which the device is attached, and which is adapted for supporting the book or books in open position substantially normal to the surface to which it is attached.

It is a further object of my invention to provide a device of the character described which automatically closes the covers of the book when the book is moved from a position supported above the device to a position suspended from the device.

It is still another object of my invention to pro- 130 vide a device of the character described which my invention, the dotted lines of Fig. l illustrating the device supporting the book in open or extended position; Fig. 2 is a plan view, partially sectioned, of the device of my invention secured to abook; 1 Fig. 3 is a sectional view taken as indicated by the line 3-'3 of Fig. 2;

Fig. 4 is an enlarged fragmentary sectional view of the attachment of the device of my invention to a book; and

Fig. 5 is an elevational' view from below the book supporting device of my invention.

Referring to the drawing, which is for illustrative purposes only, the numeral 11 indicates an attaching means in the form of a bracket mem- I her. The bracket 11, as well illustrated in Fig. 2,

is provided with openings 12 for the reception of screws 13 which secure the bracket member 11 to a supporting surface such as a wall or desk 14, as illustrated in Fig. 5. The bracket member 11 includes a pair of substantially horizontal out- Wardly extending projections 15 connected by a removable vertical bolt or pin 16.

Rotatably mounted upon the pin 16 is one end of a book supporting member 17. The book supporting member 17 may be in the form of a relatively thin and rigid metal strap bent upon itself to form an eye 18 for the reception of the pin 16. The book supporting member 17 is bent upon itself adjacent the eye 18, as indicated by the numeral 19 of Fig. 3, and provides two substantionally horizontal arms 20 and 21. The arms 20 and 21 are substantially parallel, as is well illustrated in Figs. 3 and 5, and are separated a distance substantially equal to the thickness of the book which it is desired'to support by means of bending a portion of the arm 21 away from the arm 20, as indicated by the numeral 22 of Fig. .3. Adjacent their outer. ends the arms 20 and 21 are provided with openings 23 and 24, respectively, each of which is adapted for the reception of a pin 25.

The pin 25 extends through the back or binding 29 of the book cover 28 and projects from each side thereof. A sleeve 25a is disposed around the projecting ends of the pin 25 and within the openings 23 and 24 of the arms 20 and 21. A washer 2512 may be inserted around the projecting ends of the pin 25 between the inner end of each sleeve 25a and the book cover 28. A head 250 on one end of the pin 25 and a screw 25d threaded into the other end of the pin 25 retain the arms 20 and 21 upon the sleeves 25a. The arms 20 and 21 are retained upon the sleeves 2511 by the head 25c and the screw 25d. As is well illustrated in Fig. 2, the threaded pin 25 is associated with the back or binding 29 of the book cover adjacent its middle. The length of-the arms 20 and 21 is such that the book cover 28 may be swung through approximately 180 from the position illustrated in the full lines of Fig. l to the positions illustrated in the full lines of Fig. 5, further rotation of the'book cover 28 being prohibited by its engagement with the portion 22 of the arm 21.

Secured in any suitable manner to each of the covers 26 and 27, as by rivets or the like, is an engaging member 31 in the form of a thin metal plate. Each engaging member 31 is attached to one of the covers 26 or 27' substantially midway between its top and bottom and adjacent the back or binding 29 of the book cover 28. The openings 23 and 24 in the arms 20 and 21 for the reception of the threaded pin 25 are positioned above the middle of the arms 20 and 21 and adjacent their upper edges.

The connection between the arms 20 and 21 and the threaded pin 25 permits the pin 25 and the book cover 28 to swing freely between the arms 20 and 21.

In operating my device the bracket 11 is secured to a vertical supporting surface such as a wall or a table leg 14 by screws 13. A book 32 is positioned upon the book cover 28 in extended position and a retaining rod 33 is releas ably secured at its ends to brackets 34 which are attached to the back or binding 29 of the book cover 28 at its ends. The retaining rod 33 being substantially in the middle of the book 32 and adjacent its back or binding, the book 32 is thus removably secured to the book cover 28. Additional openings 37 are provided in the brackets 34 forthe reception of additional retaining rods to secure other books in the book cover 28. With the book 32 in open or extended position, as indicated by dotted lines 35 of Fig. 1, and as indicated by the full lines of Fig. 5, it is obvious that the book is readily accessible for reference. When it is desired to move the book 32 into closed position, it is necessary only to move downwardly the lower edge of the book indicated bythe numeral 36 of Fig. 1. Depressing the lower end 36 of the book 32 tends tocause the book 32 to swing about the threaded pin 25. This movement of the book 32 brings the engaging members 31 into contact with the ends of the arms 20 and 21. This engagement between the engaging members 31 and the ends of the arms 20 and 21 during the continuedswinging movement of the book 32 folds the covers 26 and 27 of the book cover 28 into closed position, thus closing the book 32.

The swinging movement of the book cover 28 and its contained book 32 terminates with the book cover 28 and book 32 suspended from the arms 20 and 21, as indicated in Fig. 3. The book cover 28 and its contained book 32 may then be swung about the vertical pin 16 from the position indicated in Fig.3 to the position indicated by the full lines in Fig. 1, in which latter position the book is parallel to and adjacent the supporting surface and occupies a small space in an out-of-the-way place.

To move the book 32 into its extended position it is necessary only to swing the device from the position indicated in-the full lines of Fig. 1 to the position indicated in Fig. 3, and to swing the book cover 28 from its suspended position, indicated by the full lines of Fig. 1, to its position supported upon the upper surface of the arms 20 and 21, as illustrated in Fig. 5, in which latter position. the book 32 will be open and readily accessible for reference.

It should be obvious that the device of my invention provides a means for supporting a book or book cover containing one or more books in an open position readily accessible for reference and in a closed position occupying small space adjacent the vertical .surfaceto which it is attached, It should likewise be obvious that the device of my invention comprises a very small number of parts, is economical in manufacture, and simple and positive in operation.

While the preferred embodiment of my invention hereinbefore illustrated and described is fully capable of performing all of the objects and providing all of the advantages primarily stated,

there are various other embodiments of my invention likewise capable of performing these objects and providing these advantages, and I therefore wish my invention to be understood as not restricted to the specific embodiment hereinbefore illustrated and described.

I claim as my invention:

1. In a book supporting device, the combination of: a bracket member adapted to be secured to a supporting surface; and a book supporting member attached to said bracket member and adapted for pivotal attachment to the covers of a' book adjacent its binding to provide an axis normal to said book in closed position so that said book may be swung relative to said book supporting member and about said axis to closed position suspended from said book supporting member and to open positionabove said book supporting member.

2. In a book supporting device, the combination of a bracket member adapted to be secured to a supporting surface; and a book supporting member swingably attached to said bracket member, said book supporting member providing arms pivotally secured to the covers of a book adjacent its binding so that said book may move between said arms from its closed position below said arms to a position above said arms, in which upper position .it may be opened.

3. In a book supporting device, the combination of: a bracket member adapted to be secured to a supporting surface; and a book supporting member swingably attached to said bracket member, said book supporting member providing arms pivotally, secured to the covers of abook adjacent its binding so that said book maybe swung between said arms from its closed position below said arms through approximately 180 .to its open position above said arms.

4. In a book supporting device, the combination of: a bracket member adapted to be secured to a supporting surface; and a book supporting member swingably attached to said bracket member, said book supporting memberproviding arms pivoted to the covers of a book adja-. cent its binding so that in its closed position said book is suspended fromsaidarms, said arms preventing the opening of said bookby contact with the covers of said bookwhenthus suspended, and in its openposition said book is supported above said arms with its covers resting upon said arms. a I g i 5. In a book supporting device, the combination of: a bracket member adapted for attachment to a supporting surface; and a supporting member associated with said bracket member and providing arms between which said book is swingably secured adjacent its binding so that it "may swing between said arms from a closed position suspended below said arms to an openposition supported upon said arms.

6. In a book supporting device, the combination of: a bracket member adapted for attachment to a vertical supporting surface; and asupporting member associated with said bracket member and providing horizontal arms between which-said cover may swing from a position in which it rests upon the upper surface of said supporting means to a position in which it is suspended from said supporting means; and engaging members attached to said book cover adjacent its binding and adapted to engage said supporting means as said book cover swings from said former position to said latter position so as to close said book cover.

8. In a device for supporting a book cover including a rigid front and back connected by a binding, the combination of: a bracket member adapted for attachment to a vertical surface; supporting arms swingably attached to said bracket member, and swingably attached to said front and said back adjacent the binding so that said book cover may be suspended adjacent and parallel to said vertical surface in closed position and supported substantially normal to said vertical surface in open position; and an engaging member on said front and said back adapted for engagement with said supporting arms to move said front and said back from open position to closed position as said book cover is swung downwardly.

9. In a device for supporting a book cover including a rigid front and back connected by a binding, the combination of: a bracket member adapted for attachment to a vertical surface; supporting arms swingably attached to said bracket member, and swingably attached to said front and said back adjacent the binding so that said book cover may be suspended adjacent and parallel to said vertical surface in closed position and supported substantially normal to said vertical surface in open position; an engaging member on said front and said back adapted for engagement with said supporting arms to move said front and said back from open position to closed position as said book cover is swung downwardly; and means for removably securing a plurality of books in said book cover.

10. In a book supporting device, the combination of: a bracket member adapted to be secured to a supporting surface; and a book supporting member swingably attached to said bracket member, said book supporting member providing arms pivoted to the covers of a book adjacent its binding so that in its closed position said book is suspended from said arms, said arms preventing the opening of said book by contact with the covers of said book when thus suspended, and in its open position said book is supported above said arms with its covers resting upon said arms, said book being secured to said arms so that it may swing between said arms from either of said positions to the other, and so that said covers of said book are moved from open position to closed position by engagement with said arms as said book is swung from its position supported above said arms to its position suspended from said arms.

11. In a book supporting device, the combination of: a bracket member adapted to be secured to a substantially vertically disposed supporting surface; and a book supporting member attached to said bracket member by a substantially vertically disposed pivot so as to be horizontally swingable relative thereto and adapted for attachment to the covers of a book by a substantially horizontally disposed pivot adjacent its binding so that said book may be swung relative to said book supporting member to closed position suspended from said book supporting member and to open position above said supporting member. I

LEONARD M. WEBBER. 

